TNAG-0755-FCO40-959-Security-arrangements-at-Kai-Tak-Airport-1978 — Page 7

CONFIDENTIAL

G Barnes Esq

Acting Secretary for Security

Government Secretariat

HONG KONG

HKK OSI

051/1

233-4439

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

12 OCT 1978

DESK OF DER INDEX

RESERY

PA

Action T

12 October 1978

7#

BONN DECLARATION ON AIR HI-JACKING AND THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON THE SUPPRESSION OF TERRORISM

1.

(58)

Thank you for your letter of 25 August on this subject.

I am sorry not to have replied earlier, but this matter is still very much at the consultative stage. However, I have discussed the points you raised with our Legal Advisers and their advice at this stage is:

a.

the Law Officers are still considering whether it is necessary to introduce new UK legislation to achieve the objectives laid down in the Bonn Declaration.

b. this is, of course, dependent on (a) above; but our Legal Advisers believe that the commitment made in Bonn does extend to the dependent territories, even though the subject was not raised specifically.

C. the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism can be extended to dependent territories, but no decision has yet been taken about whether this should be done in the case of Hong Kong.

d.

after recent consultations with the Hong Kong Government, the 1978 Internationally Protected Persons Act is currently being extended to cover Hong Kong.

2. I fully appreciate that the above does not fully answer your questions. I will, therefore, write to you again when we have more definite information, so that you can keep members of ExCo and LegCo in the picture.

CONFIDENTIAL

J Thompson

Hong Kong & General Department